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August 22, 2008
Offering teens a deal
Torah High comes to Vancouver from Ontario.
RON FRIEDMAN
Following in the footsteps of the Ontario cities of Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton, Vancouver is the first place in Western Canada to host Torah High, an after-school Jewish studies program organized by National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY), which allows Jewish public high school students to take Jewish studies courses and receive high school credit.
Rabbi Stephen Berger, director of education at Vancouver Torah High, thinks that in today's competitive and achievement-driven mindset, in order to make Jewish education a viable option, schools have to be able to answer the question "So what's in it for me?" He believes that by offering high school students ministry-approved credits - credits that they can use to replace an elective or as a spare - and an opportunity to meet and socialize with other Jewish kids, in addition to free food, Torah High will be able to get the kids interested in their religious heritage. "We're just trying to make it as easy as possible ... for the students to get a Jewish education," he said.
Starting in September, Torah High will be offering two courses, one in Jewish ethics and philosophy and the other in Jewish leadership, history and advocacy. The classes will be taught in a semi-formal environment with a lot of the teaching done using a discussion-like format.
"They will leave the program with a tremendous breadth of Jewish knowledge that's impactful to them and hopefully will get them connected to other resources in the community," said Berger.
Torah High courses will take place Monday and Wednesday evenings at King David High School. They are scheduled to take place concurrently with the TAG after-school program so that during mealtimes and on the breaks, students can get a chance to meet more Jewish kids.
Torah High will be capping registration at 40 this year, but they expect to double over the next two or three years. In Toronto, there are currently 700 kids involved with the program.
Berger said that he's not looking for the class to be filled with students from KDHS, but rather from those who are unaffiliated and may have little or no connection to the Jewish community and who could benefits from closer ties.
"We're teaching them the basics of Judaism, but at a higher intellectual level," said Berger. He also stressed that students need no prior knowledge of the topics, no knowledge of Hebrew and that the course has no prerequisites.
In order to receive a British Columbia ministry-approved credit, students need to complete 100 hours of educational instruction. Torah High divides these 100 hours into two: 75-80 hours of in-class instruction delivered through weekly two-hour sessions; and the remaining 20-25 hours through out-of-class options.
"This is where we, as NCSY, shine, this is our specialty," said Berger. "We know that Judaism is always transferred experientially. That is going to be the thing that motivates, inspires and ultimately empowers a teen."
Participation in NCSY Shabbatons, events and trips will help students comply with the provincial course requirements, as will attending community education events and completing independent study projects. To find out more about the courses, structure and ideas behind Torah High, go to www.vancouver.torahhigh.ca.
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